Chicks in the Office — Episode Summary

Episode: Chase Stokes & Kelsea Ballerini Split, Emmys Roundup + RHOSLC's Lisa Barlow Interview
Date: September 15, 2025
Hosts: Ria (Brianne) and Fran (Francesca)

Overview

This episode delivers the latest in pop culture with the Chicks' signature blend of wit and insights. The main topics include the unexpected breakup of Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini, a spirited Emmy Awards recap with fashion commentary, and an engaging, in-depth interview with Lisa Barlow of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (RHOSLC). The weekly "Watch Report" rounds out the show with streaming picks and candid reviews, all laced with personal anecdotes and the Chicks' signature banter.

Key Segments & Timestamps

1. Catching Up & Weekend Recap (01:51 – 15:00)
2. Chase Stokes & Kelsea Ballerini Split (20:30 – 27:37)
3. Pop Culture Roundup – Emmys, Nina Dobrev, and More (27:37 – 43:32)
4. Weekly Watch Report: Reviews & Reactions (45:48 – 73:04)
5. Interview: Lisa Barlow (RHOSLC) (74:50 – 119:39)

1. Catching Up & Weekend Recap

(01:51 – 15:00)

• Fran in the Vineyard: Fran shares a relaxing weekend celebrating personal milestones in Martha’s Vineyard ("…just really could chill out. The weather was stunning." – Fran, 03:37).
• Brianne & Noah’s Dance Adventure: Ria, Noah, and Matt take a hip hop class at Capezio in Times Square, documenting their struggles and triumphs on social media.
  • “If this was Dancing with the Stars, by the end of the week… we’d fucking crush it.” – Brianne (05:41)
• Friend Group Fun: Emma & Julie from Comments by Celebs tour Brianne’s Jersey City/Hoboken haunts.
• Late Nights & Fast Food: Brianne details a rare late night out, culminating in an unshakeable craving for a Burger King original chicken sandwich.
  • “It just wouldn’t leave my mind. I said, I have to have this.” – Brianne (13:53)
• Football & Eagles Fandom: Lighthearted chat about NFL network theme songs and Sunday football viewing traditions.

2. Chase Stokes & Kelsea Ballerini Split

(20:30 – 27:37)

• The Surprise Breakup: Fans are shocked by the split, especially after Chase’s effusive birthday post for Kelsea just two days earlier.
  • “Twelve photos is a lot for someone that’s like in the midst of a breakup.” – Fran (21:53)
• Timing & Social Media: Ria and Fran theorize about whether the pair had split before the public announcement and discuss if Hollywood couples sometimes post content to buy time or throw fans off the scent.
  • “Social media is so weird for celebrities… even if they know that maybe they're on the rocks, they don't want the outside world to know that.” – Fran (24:19)
• Reps Confirm the News: Discussion on reps’ involvement in confirming breakups.
• Kelsea’s Relationship Timeline & Rumors: Listeners are reminded of Kelsea’s prior relationship and the hope she finds happiness. The Chicks call out hasty social media shipping with Joe Jonas.
  • “We can’t start being like, go Joe Jonas right now, you know?” – Brianne (26:01)
• TikTok Theories: Fran remarks on how fan speculation on social media often foreshadows real outcomes: “A lot of times when there’s smoke, there’s fire.” (26:44)

3. Pop Culture Roundup – Emmys, Nina Dobrev, and More

(27:37 – 43:32)

• Nina Dobrev & Shaun White Rumors: Discussion of Nina’s TikTok fueling cheating rumors, later denied.
  • “It's so insane that they would not pay her the same as her male counterparts.” – Brianne on Dobrev’s Vampire Diaries revelations (29:34)
• Emmys Recap:
  • Big Wins & Snubs: White Lotus goes home empty-handed, while Hacks, The Studio, The Pit, and Severance are celebrated.
  • Notable Winners: Gene Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Noah Wylie, Katherine LaNasa, Brit Marling, Tramell Tillman, Kristin Milioti.
    • “I love that Brit did the… in her hand it wrote, like, on the back side of it, ‘let me out’…” – Fran on Severance win (33:59)
  • Fashion Moments: Praise for Kristen Bell, Malin Ackerman, Brittany Snow, Selena Gomez, Jenna Ortega, Lisa’s “work of art” pink dress, Hunter Schafer, Megan Fahey.
    • “Jenna Ortega’s [look]… So sick. It was like so cool.” – Fran (42:41)
  • Host Review: The Chicks enjoyed Nate Bargatze’s hosting, especially his running bit on speeches and time limits.
• Selena Gomez Wedding Rumors: Fran notes the couple “may be approaching wedding time” and discusses her viral moment with Martin Short (43:32).

4. Weekly Watch Report

(45:48 – 73:04)

The Chicks and Noah give candid, sometimes hilarious reviews:

Brianne’s Picks:

• The Wrong Paris (Netflix) (46:07):
  • Light rom-com with Miranda Cosgrove, enjoyable small-town Paris, Texas twist; B+.
• AKA Charlie Sheen (49:23):
  • Raw, two-part documentary. Well-done, at times shocking, and a healing process for Sheen and family; A-.
    • “It's shocking that he is, you know, alive from everything that he, you know, put his body through…” – Fran (50:02)
• Stalking Samantha (Hulu) (53:07):
  • True crime, haunting story of a decade-plus stalker; B+.
• Summer I Turned Pretty (episode 2) (54:00):
  • “My least favorite of the bunch… excited for the finale.” (54:00)
• King of Queens (rewatch)

Fran’s Picks:

• Naked Gun (Liam Neeson reboot) (56:38):
  • “Classic slapstick… not necessarily my typical genre, but it was good.”; B.
• Wednesday (Part 2 of Season 2) (59:03):
  • “I really like Wednesday… weird release strategy splits up the flow.” (59:20); B+.
• Real Housewives of Miami (trip to Spain)
  • “It's been good tv… very entertaining.”; B+.
• My Life with the Walter Boys (finale):
  • “D minus. Not gonna fully give it a full F, but… unfortunate.” (62:26)
• The Paper (Office-style sitcom):
  • “It's cute… you just need time to build those things up.” (70:53)

Noah’s Picks:

• Task (Mark Ruffalo HBO series):
  • “Detective series, Mare of Easttown vibe.”; A- (63:00)
• Weapons:
  • “Really good. Lived up to the hype… more of a mystery, not terrifying.”; A (65:45)
• Amanda Knox series:
  • “Not grabbing me… not really watching it.”; B- (64:49)
• The Girlfriend:
  • Psychological thriller with Olivia Cooke and Robin Wright; B+ (67:59)
• Barbarian (director note)

5. Interview: Lisa Barlow (Real Housewives of Salt Lake City)

(74:50 – 119:39)

Season & Cast Dynamic

• Trailer Excitement: Lisa reacts to the season 6 trailer, calling it “a weird season…felt so different from any other season." (75:12).
• Balancing Show & Life: Lisa chose a healthier balance: "I have so many things outside of the show…This year I was very focused on what makes me happy." (75:37)
• Not in Episode 1: The cast took her absence in the premiere as a chance for criticism, but Lisa says, “I'm a sag…if it’s affecting me, then I have an issue, but other than that, I don’t really care.” (76:52)

Friendship Dynamics & Utah Culture

• Fran and Brianne probe SLC’s notoriously fluctuating friend groups.
  • Lisa on Utah culture: “In Utah, I feel like culturally it’s more surface level…culturally with the religion…it’s like, smile and then stab you in the back.” (78:02)
• Passive Aggression:
  • “It's super passive aggressive… it lacks that depth and dimension because it is fake and it’s for appearance, not for reality.” (79:59)

Life in Utah & the Reality TV Effect

• Lisa’s family converted to Mormonism in her teens; she attended BYU after growing up on the East Coast.
• On Reality TV’s Impact in Utah: “I forget I’m on a show…But I feel like it has shifted some people's lives, but organically, I think Salt Lake is such a star on its own.” (84:09)

Bringing Friends on the Show

• Lisa recounts the risks of bringing real-life friends (like Angie) onto RHOSLC:
  • “It’s interesting when you know you have someone’s back relentlessly…and then they, like, stab you in the back. That’s really hard.” (85:59)
• Angie & Trampoline with Eyes: Lisa calls out Angie’s penchant for ‘demeaning’ comments and dish-can’t-take dynamic.

Relationship Updates

• Meredith: The Chicks reference the hot mic moment; Lisa confirms their friendship survived only after frank, off-camera talks (88:52).
  • “I was feeling hurt and ranted and would never want to hurt her family…I'm glad we got to a place like this, but it took hard-hitting conversations." (89:23)
• Whitney: Lisa calls their dynamic “one-sided” and “organically and inorganically changing.” (94:05)

Family Life

• On Son Jack’s Mission: Lisa describes separation pain and pride in his service and growth. "I love being a mom…It was so hard." (95:47)
• Parenting on TV: Anecdotes about her kids finding out things from friends, being “non-judgmental," navigating boundaries after Jack’s return from his mission.

Addressing Rumors & Public Perception

• Legal issues: “We have a million lawyers for a reason…if we're doing it, we know why we’re doing it.” (90:18)
• Monogamy: “We're in a monogamous relationship though. Like, I love John. He's my person, I'm his person.” (106:04)
• Shallow label: “The idea that I'm a shallow person is kind of annoying because I help a lot of people, I mentor a lot of women." (107:03)
• “I've been defending my marriage every season…Marriage is beautiful and extremely hard.” (103:28)

Beauty Talk:

• “Threads” for the Face: Lisa explains her favorite facial procedure in vivid detail.
  • “Threads are magic…When you get to like 40 and you’re like, I just want to look a little more singed.” (110:50)
• Botox & Fillers: Advocates for a natural approach until truly necessary.

Bravo Friendships & Dream Dinner

• Lisa lists top friends across franchises, favoring her "Lisa" sisters, Marisol (Miami), Emily (OC), Ashley (Potomac), and more.
  • “I love all the Lisa’s…Just a Lisa dinner.” (117:44)
• On SLC’s success: “We were saying it before we started, top tier. It really is.” – Brianne (119:39)

Notable Quotes

• “A lot of times when there's smoke, there's fire.” – Fran (26:44)
• “I’ve never put myself in a position…where I can’t recover from something.” – Lisa Barlow (87:49)
• “I just think like, with Meredith and I, we had a real friendship to begin with. So you have to choose, like, do I want that back?” – Lisa Barlow (89:23)
• "Threads are magic. When you get to like 40 and you're like, I just want to look a little more singed..." – Lisa Barlow (110:53)
• “If you work hard, the byproduct…is money. You have to be generous with money.” – Lisa Barlow (109:14)

Episode Takeaways

• Celebrity Breakups can be less sudden than social media makes them appear; posts may not reflect reality.
• Emmys Recap spotlighted exciting wins, praised speeches, and trendsetting fashion—proving awards shows are still rich ground for watercooler talk.
• Lisa Barlow’s Interview delivered candid insight into friendships, Utah culture, beauty transparency, marriage on TV, and her business spirit.
• Weekly Watch Report brings pop culture lovers a range of recommendations with honest, off-the-cuff reactions you don’t get anywhere else.

For Updated Pop Culture, TV Recaps, and Unfiltered Bravo Interviews, Chicks in the Office Delivers Every Time.